Some of Mayor Adams' voters say he's lost their support — but not because of his legal woes

Eric Adams may avoid a criminal jury in his federal corruption case, but he could still face a harsh judgment from the voters who helped propel him to office.

In the wake of news that the Department of Justice was looking to dismiss bribery and corruption charges against the mayor, Gothamist conducted more than a dozen interviews this week in some of the central Brooklyn and southeast Queens neighborhoods that backed Adams by large margins in the 2021 Democratic primary. Voters largely said they were unhappy with Adams' performance in City Hall. And while accusations of corruption were not helping his standing, his stewardship as mayor was also fueling their discontent.

“ I think that this city is a mess,” said Lisa Green, who lives in South Jamaica and noted Adams’ charges would not affect how she ends up voting this year. “There's a lot of corruption in this country, especially in this city. So the vote wouldn’t go on based on the case that he has against him at all.” She pointed to immigration and transit safety as two areas in which the mayor needed to improve.

Gary Barnes, a Crown Heights resident, said he voted for Adams but would not do so again. His biggest gripes with the mayor had to do with how he has managed the migrant influx and homelessness.

“From a scale from one to 10, I’d give him a four right now,” Barnes said.

The views expressed by those interviewed fit into a larger pattern of New Yorkers’ souring stances toward Adams as shown through polling and news reporting since the fall of 2023, when the bribery investigation into the mayor and his 2021 campaign came to light.

Adams has denied wrongdoing. After the Department of Justice this week ordered prosecutors in the Southern District of New York to drop the charges, he has sought to portray himself as vindicated, even though the directive indicated the charges could be revived after the mayoral election in November. So far, the Southern District has not publicly commented on the order from Washington.

Adams is also up against increasing scrutiny from some of his usual allies and several Democratic competitors running against his record and his federal indictment, which accuses him of taking illegal foreign donations in exchange for official favors. In June's primary election, where voters can rank up to five candidates in order of preference, that could narrow his path to reelection. Adams has alleged the prosecution was politically motivated by his criticism of former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies — a claim echoed in the Department of Justice’s order about freezing the case.

“Dedicating myself to the values and fights that New Yorkers believe in is how I will restore the faith in those who have lost it in me, and it will be how I reward the faith of those who believed in me for four years ago,” the mayor said in an address on Tuesday, where he did not take questions from reporters.

But many of the people who spoke with Gothamist said Adams' recent overtures to President Donald Trump — which critics have alleged is a bid to get his federal case dropped or receive a pardon — irreparably shook their faith in the mayor. Some said Adams appeared to be selling out New Yorkers for his personal benefit.

“Months and months of all of these things coming up in the news, and all of a sudden we're just supposed to wipe the slate clean and forget?” said Vanessa Robinson, another South Jamaica resident. “That’s asking a lot.”

“ I didn't vote for Trump, but yeah, I feel betrayed,” said Paulette James, who was getting into her car on Sutphin Boulevard and said she would not vote for Adams again.

In a statement after this story was published, Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak touted his administration's work on crime, homelessness and economic issues, but did not directly address the perspectives shared by the residents Gothamist interviewed.

"We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in just three years to turn this city around, but we know there’s still more work to do as we continue to make New York City the best place to raise a family," the statement said.

A representative of the Adams reelection campaign did not immediately provide comment on Wednesday.

While many people on the street in Crown Heights, South Jamaica and St. Albans on Tuesday had unflattering thoughts about the mayor, a handful said they were satisfied with Adams’ performance and not too bothered by his indictment.

“ He’s the mayor. People go after him,” Emanuel Williams said as he walked toward Eastern Parkway. “I don't think it’s the worst thing he did.”

Sarah Nwade, who has owned an African food market in St. Albans for almost 40 years, said she was mostly satisfied with Adams’ job as mayor, adding that her religious beliefs might lead her to support a different candidate after voting for him in 2021.

“ When that time comes again, it’s only God that will touch your heart to know who you're gonna vote and who you're not gonna vote for,” she said as she leaned over a bucket, preparing Guinea corn flour. “ As far as cleaning up New York City is concerned, we can always do better.”

This story has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams.